Cheonan Hyundai Capital Skywalkers captured the 2024 Korean Cup after an 11-year hiatus, defeating Incheon Korean Air Jumbos (KAL Jumbos) in a nail-biting five-set final. This victory marks Hyundai Capital’s fifth title in the club’s history, solidifying their position as joint leaders for the most Cup wins alongside Korean Air.
The final match saw Hyundai Capital edge past Korean Air with a score of 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13). The victory also avenged their earlier loss to Korean Air in the group stage.
Hyundai Capital, led by Su-Bong Heo and supported by newly acquired foreign players Leonardo Leyva Martínez from Cuba and Xinpeng Deng from China, showed resilience after a shaky start in the first set. Despite trailing early, the team regained their composure in the second set, eventually outlasting their opponents in a back-and-forth contest.
Su-Bong Heo emerged as the game’s standout, tying for the most points with Korean Air’s Yosvany Hernández Cardonell, scoring 21 points each. Heo’s exceptional performance earned him the tournament’s MVP title.
Xinpeng Deng also played a important role, contributing 17 points in his debut tournament and showcasing a remarkable 56% attack success rate.
Coach Philippe Blanc, in his first season with the team, acknowledged the need for adjustments but expressed satisfaction with the win, stating, “There’s still much to work on, but tonight we celebrate.”
